


Our Love is God

by Chokingonholywater



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Faked Suicide, Gen, Heathers AU, I'm Bad At Tagging, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-04 13:19:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6659680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chokingonholywater/pseuds/Chokingonholywater
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mabel Pines hates the girls that swept her into their popular clique. When a mysterious new kid offers the seemingly perfect solution to their social tyranny, Mabel is happy to accept his help - but by the time she realizes the dark nature of his plans, it's too late.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Beautiful

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys like this AU - I haven't stopped thinking about it for weeks and I decided that if I wanted it, I would have to write it myself. Enjoy and let me know what you think (more chapters to come!)

_ Dear Diary, _

_       Am I a good person? I think so. At the very least, I haven’t given up trying to be good, and that's gotta count for something, right?  And really, isn’t there good in everybody? I don’t believe that anyone is really _ all _ bad… _

* * *

 

Mabel Pines should've been excited - ecstatic, even - but as she stood outside the doors of Gravity Falls High School, all she felt was a longing for summer to continue. Summer was fun and carefree, full of long, sunny days and soft, laughter filled nights. 

High school, on the other hand, was full of jerks.

Mabel closed her eyes, knowing that if she waited too much longer to go inside, she'd be late for class. With a sigh, she picked up her bag, swung it over her shoulder, and pulled open the door, the last dregs of summer disappearing as the doors swung shut behind her.

Even though it was a new year, nothing had changed - walking down the halls, Mabel saw the same faces she always had, grouped the same way they'd always been. She might've started feeling nostalgic, maybe even thinking about the bittersweet nature of senior year, if she hadn't tripped and gone spiraling down to the floor. 

"Hah! Can't even walk right, can you, loser!"

Mabel scowled, pushing her hair out of her face. She didn't need to look up to know who had tripped her; it was Lee's third year as linebacker, and eighth year tripping Mabel in the hall, and being a huge  _ dick _ . 

Even though the joke was years old, Lee and his friends still thought knocking Mabel to the ground was hysterical. After eight years, Mabel had learned that it was best to just get up and walk away - she'd only made the mistake of fighting back once (she'd gotten detention for two weeks, and Lee'd gotten a bloody nose). 

Mabel turned away from the jeering group and pretended she couldn't hear them calling after her, wanting to know if she'd missed them, if she'd forgotten how to talk, why she was being such a bitch. 

_God_ , Mabel thought, _I can't believe that yesterday I was talking about the "_ good in everybody" - _it's only been what, fifteen minutes and I've already been called a skank, a loser,_ and _a bitch? This must be a new record._ She shook her head as she sped down the hall towards her first class. Turning the corner, she found the number she was looking for (206) and pulled open the door. As she slid into her seat, she couldn't help but wonder what had happened; she'd known these kids all her life, and they hadn't always been this way. 

The bell rang and Mabel eyed the clock, already counting the minutes until it would ring again and move her one class closer to going home. 

_ Only forty minutes left, and then just four classes before lunch _ , she reminded herself.

With a sigh, she turned to the front of the room and did her best to pay attention. 

* * *

Mabel had lasted seventeen minutes into her fifth class of the day before tuning her teacher out.

She was staring out the window, deep in thought. She couldn't stop thinking about how much things had changed since she'd first started school twelve years ago, when they'd all been happy and shiny and new.

Her reverie was interrupted by the long drone of the bell, signaling the end of class. Mabel stood up, yanking her bag of the back of her chair, and slowly made her way out of the classroom. 

A smile spread across her face as she weaved her way through the crowded hallways - it was finally time for lunch. Mabel sped up, excited. She hadn't had any classes with her best friends yet, and she couldn't wait to see them and compare first day horror stories. 

"Hey! Mabel!" 

Mabel paused and turned around, looking for who'd called her name. 

A grin split open on her face as she doubled back down the hall. "Hey Candy," Mabel smiled. "Where's Grenda?"

The smaller girl made a face, her black hair falling into her eyes. "She left her book in her last class," Candy explained. "She should be her any —" 

"Mabel! I can't believe we haven't had any classes together yet!"

Mabel barely had time to turn before she was pulled into a hug. She couldn't help laughing as she pried herself free.

"Yeah, I know, Grenda," she chuckled. "Come on, let's go to lunch." 

Her friends followed her down the hall towards the cafeteria, talking about their classes so far, what teachers they had, and who they have classes with.

"Yeah, Dipper's in my English class," Candy said. "Of course, he was too busy reading to actually say anything to me," she laughed, "but still, I saw him."

Dipper was Mabel's twin brother, and thinking about him made her smile. They'd had such a great summer, full of adventure and mystery and fun. She considered herself lucky to get along so well with her twin.

The three girls had arrived at the cafeteria, the sound of a hundred students yelling and laughing slipping out from behind the closed door. Mabel was telling Candy and Grenda what had happened with Lee - "I'm gonna punch him in the face!" - as they opened the door to the lunchroom. 

Immediately, a crushing wave of sound washed over them. Mabel had forgotten how loud it was during lunch, but she didn't let it phase her. Candy grabbed a tray and handed it to Mabel before snagging one for herself. Suddenly, there was a loud clatter behind them.

"Oops."

Mabel turned around to see Nate, the quarterback, guffawing with his friends. Then she saw what they were laughing at - or rather, who. 

Grenda's face was bright red as she bent to pick her tray up off the ground. "Oh, sorry, didn't realize I was gonna knock into you - there should really be a  _ wide load _ sign when you walk by, for everyones' safety," Nate crowed, his friends hooting with laughter.

"Hey! Pick that up," Mabel yelled. She was seething, her face turning scarlet with rage. 

Nate stopped laughing and eyed Mabel angrily. "What was that,  _ skank _ ?"

"I said pick that up. What gives you the right to pick on my friend?" Mabel's voice echoed back loudly in the now-silent cafeteria. "You've got no right. You're a high school has been just waiting to happen - a future gas station attendant," she huffed, glaring. 

Nate was silent, and Mabel wasn't quite sure what to expect when he opened his mouth.

"You've got a zit right there," he grinned, and the cafeteria exploded in laughter. 

Mabel rolled her eyes and extended a hand to Grenda and the two of them rejoined Candy at their usual table in the corner of the lunch room. Mabel was furiously trying to console Grenda, saying, "I swear to god, next time he tries something I  _ will  _ punch him in the face. I don't care if I get detention for a week, or a month or even —" 

She stopped, a hush falling over the cafeteria. Suddenly, the doors opened, and a trio of girls strutted in.

" _ Pacifica." _

The name was said with a mix of admiration, jealousy, and fear. Pacifica Northwest was the most popular girl at Gravity Falls High School, and she was the queen of the school. If she didn't like you, you were done for. She could make yourself a living hell, or - so Mabel had been told - pull you up to the top with her if she liked you. 

Her blond hair glimmered in the lights as she tossed it over her shoulder. As usual, she looking impeccable - perfect outfit, perfect hair, perfectly glossy lips. The other girls who followed her, Tiffany and Mandy, looked just as flawless. 

Even though no one would say it to their faces, everyone knew that Tiffany and Mandy were just Pacifica wannabes. Ever since they'd risen to the top, people had been calling them the same thing: the Pacificas. 

Although she didn't like her, even Mabel had to admit that Pacifica was something else. Sometimes, Mabel felt like she would give anything to be more like her - solid titanium, never bothered, never harassed. No one would dare torment Pacifica, and if they did, she wouldn't hesitate to ruin them. 

She was truly a mythic bitch.

Mabel sighed. Even though it would be nice not to be hassled, Pacifica was on an entirely different plan of high school existence. Shaking off the fantasies of a Lee and Nate free high school, she turned back to Candy and Grenda, rolling her eyes.

"God," she grumbled, "I forgot how insane everyone is over them."

Candy and Grenda didn't reply - they were still staring at the table where the Pacificas sat. 

"Hello? Anyone home?" Mabel asked, waving a hand in front of her friends' faces with a grin.

"What? Oh, sorry, Mabel," Grenda sighed. "Sometimes I just wish we were somebodies like Pacifica instead of nobodies." 

Mabel frowned, but Candy cut in before she could speak. "Hey, listen. Maybe we don't have as many friends as Pacifica, but we have each other, and that is pretty good, I think," she said, smiling. 

Grenda grinned back at her, and Mabel was sure that senior year was gonna be just fine as long as the three of them had each other.

"Hey, I gotta go to the bathroom. Be right back," Mabel said, striding away from the table. 

After she got a pass signed, she let the heavy door fall shut behind her, instantly muffling the sounds of the cafeteria. She walked down the hall and turned into the bathroom, heading into one of the stalls. 

As she shut the door, she heard someone enter the bathroom.

"Really Tiffany, you have to fix your hair? God, that's  _ so _ seventh grade!"

Pacifica's voice rang through the room, full of contempt. As Tiffany stuttered out a response, the door opened yet again.

"Oh, Pacifica! Do you girls have a pass?"

It was Ms. Susan, the half hippie counselor for the school. Mabel could almost picture the grin on her face as she said, "I didn't think so - week's detention!" 

_ This is it, Mabel, this is your chance,  _ Mabel thouht.

Quickly, she pulled out her pen and added the names of the Pacificas to her hall pass. She flushed the toilet and stepped outside the stall, smiling brightly at Ms. Susan.

"Actually, Ms. Susan, the pass is right here. We're out for yearbook comitee," Mabel explained. She could see the perplexed look on Pacifica's face, but she just kept smiling. Ms. Susan frowned, but she accepted the pass and left with a simple warning not to wander the halls.

Mabel breathed a sigh of relief before her pass was snatched out of her hands.

"This," Pacifica drawled, staring at Mabel, "is an impressive forgery. Who  _ are _ you?"

"I'm Mabel, uh, Mabel Pines," she stuttered. "I crave a boon."

Pacifica scowled. Even up close, there were no flaws in Pacifica's powerful look, not a single crack in her armor. "What boon?”

With a deep breath, Mabel explained herself. "Let me sit at your table, just once, I promise. You don't have to talk to me or anything - just, if people think you tolerate me, they'll leave me alone. Before you answer, I can do doctors notes and late passes too," she added hastily. 

Pacifica laughed before reaching up and grabbing Mabel's face, turning it left and right. "You know, for a nerdy little nobody, you're not horrible to look at. In fact - Tiffany! Give me your make up bag and your hair brush," she commanded. 

Turning back to Mabel, Pacifica cocked on eyebrow, as if picturing what improvements could be made. 

When Pacifica spoke, it was more of a statement than a question: "I'll make you beautiful - okay?"

"Okay!" Mabel sputtered.

A grin spread over Pacifica's face as she moved into full makeover mode: mascara, lip gloss, brushed hair, bobby pins, the whole ordeal. 

When she was done, Pacifica stepped back to admire her handy work. "It'll do," she said. Turning back to Mabel, she spoke with authority, "You're one of us now - don't do anything to mess it up. If you do, you're out, and you will never be back in. Got it?"

"Uh, got it, I guess," Mabel replied, confused. 

Pacifica smiled and linked her arm through Mabel's. With a nod, the two girls followed Pacifica out of the bathroom and back down the hall towards the cafeteria. When Pacifica opened the door, the same hush fell over the room - until they noticed the girl standing next to her.

_ "Who is that?" _

_ "Pacifica, Mandy, Tiffany and ... someone new?" _

_ "What a babe!" _

The questions bounce all around the cafeteria and Mabel could feel hundreds of eyes bearing down on her, trying to figure out who she was and why she was standing in the middle of the most powerful clique in school. Normally, all the attention would've made her squirm, but she felt strong just standing next to Pacifica Northwest, not to mention that the makeover they'd given her made her feel like she could do anything.

Mabel was on top of the world, following confidently as Pacifica marched to their table. She could hardly believe what had happened - suddenly, she'd gone from a nobody to not just a somebody, but a member of the Pacificas. 

Everyone was still buzzing with curiously as she sat down, but one voice cut through the mass of questions.

"Mabel? Mabel, is that you?"

Candy's small voice cut Mabel to the core, and as cheers of her name started to erupt around the cafeteria, Mabel caught a glimpse of Candy and Grenda, sitting alone, and the look on their faces almost made Mabel feel guilty enough to walk away from the table - almost, but not quite.


	2. Fight for Me

Mabel sipped her drink, taking in the sounds of her surroundings. She was sitting in the food court of Gravity Falls Mall with Pacifica, Tiffany, and Mandy. They'd just finished a seven hour shopping spree to - in Pacifica's words - "fix that  _ mess _ you call your wardrobe", and Mabel was grateful to be sitting down. She'd lost count of how many stored they'd been in, let alone how many trips to the dressing room she'd taken. 

"Excuse me," Pacifica snapped, "have you been listening to anything I said?"

Startled, Mabel looked up. "Uh, something about...what not to wear...?"

With a disdainful look, Pacifica started over. "If you're gonna be one of us, you need to get yourself aquatinted with some appropriate arm candy," she explained. Seeing Mabel's unhappy expression, she laughed. "Look, nothing permanent, just a little reminder to everyone else that you're better than they are," she said matter-of-factly. "Maybe just some dancing at the next party we go to, or a little flirting, or - oh come on, what are we, eight years old?" Pacifica demanded at seeing Mabel's frown deepen. "You can't go without a guy, Mabel," Pacifica said, "not if you want to stay with us."

Mabel sighed - it wasn't worth arguing over, and it certainly wasn't worth getting kicked out from the best social opportunity of her life, but she wasn't interested in a relationship. The only times she'd even been asked out had ended in hoots of laughter and the recognition that someone had been dared to ask her. 

Pacifica took the sigh as a sign of consent and smirked, already formulating a list of possibilities in her mind. She stared intently at Mabel for a few awkward minutes, her silence only broken by the occasional mutter or head shake. Just as Mabel was becoming seriously uncomfortable, Pacifica grinned. 

You could practically see the light bulb appear over her head as she snapped her fingers. "Nate! Of course - he's the perfect fit: single, not looking for a serious relationship, in a respectable social circle," Pacifica said, ticking off the reasons on her fingers. "And," she grinned, "not too bad to look at."

Mabel looked horrified. For one thing,  _ Nate _ ? He'd been her enemy for years. Of course, since her recent makeover, he seemed to have forgotten what he'd though of Mabel before, but Mabel hadn't. There were other reasons, too, but it really wasn't Mabel's place to say them.

Pacifica finally seemed to recognize Mabel's revulsion. "What's your problem?" she scoffed. "God, if this has something to do with your old status, I don't want to hear it!"

Mabel panicked - the fact that she'd been in the "victim" level of the social pyramid was a source of constant disgust for Pacifica. Mabel wasn't sure what Pacifica would do if Mabel told her that it  _ was _ in fact residual from her old social situation, so she said the next reason she'd thought of. 

"Grenda likes him!"

Mabel's eyes grew wide as her hands flew to her mouth. "I - I mean, once she did like someone, it wasn't not him - well it  _ was  _ someone who was  _ definitely _ not named Nate, in fact you probably don't even know them, so really, it's nothing," Mabel babbled, trying to cover up what she'd just said. As she continued to stutter excuses, she felt crushed.  _ You promised you wouldn't tell anyone, how could you?  _

Even as Mabel tried her best to conceal her mistake, she knew it was too late - the damage was done. 

Pacifica's eyes lit up, a devious smile slowly spreading across her face. "So," she drawled. "Dear  _ Grenda _ has a little crush on Nate, huh? What could we do with that little bit of information?"

As Pacifica pondered the possibilities, Mabel felt hollow. She could tell that whatever Pacifica was planning would ruin whatever bit of a friendship she had left with Grenda and Candy.  _ How could you have let this happen? She'll hate you - and Pacifica will never let this go, _ Mabel thought. 

As Mabel was drowning in guilt, Pacifica was hatching a plan. When she finally spoke after a few moments a silence, it was to pose a question. 

"So, Mabel, you said you can forge notes?"

 

* * *

 

Raising her eyes from the note, Pacifica grinned. "Gotta hand it to you, Mabel," she said, folding the note back up, "even  _ I _ have a hard time believing that Nate didn't write this." With a pat on Mabel's shoulder, Pacifica turned and strode towards the cafeteria, Mandy and Tiffany trailing in her wake.

Mabel stood still, staring at their backs as they walked away. Earlier that day, Pacifica had gotten a scrap of paper from Nate's binder with a few random sentences scribbled on it and demanded to know if Mabel could copy it. When she said she could, Pacifica explained her plan: have Mabel write a fake love note from Nate to Grenda, drop it on her tray at lunch, and enjoy the show. It had only taken a few disdainful comments before Mabel caved, but her guilt was growing by the second.

_ God. What's happened to you?  _ Mabel thought _. How can you let them do this? She was your best friend - this is insane. You need to stop them. _

Mabel blinked, realizing that Pacifica would be almost at the cafeteria - there was still time to stop her. As Mabel thought about the hurt on Grenda's face if she ever found out, she broke into a sprint. She whipped around the corner, her hair flying wildly out behind her, and saw the doors swinging shut behind the Pacificas. Mabel skidded to a stop in front of the doors and slammed them open, rushing over to Pacifica.

"Give it to me," Mabel whispered, not wanting to make a scene. 

Pacifica whipped around. "Excuse me?"

"I said give it to me! I won't let you do this to Grenda - she trusted me with her secrets and I can't take them back, but I can stop you from hurting her even more," Mabel exclaimed, her voice brimming with determination. 

Pacifica threw back her head and laughed. "So  _ now _ you care about her, huh? You didn't seem to mind leaving them behind for us," Pacifica cooed. Her voice dropped lower, the smile in her eyes turning into one of malice. "And don't you  _ dare _ forget that I brought you here. You were a nobody before I took you in, and do you really think I won't send you back to being a nobody? Please. Unless you wanna go back to being loser, I suggest you stay in line. I'm the boss here," Pacifica concluded, "and I could take  _ everything _ from you, if I wanted to." 

Mabel was breathing heavily, glaring at Pacifica, but she could already feel her dissolve melting. After a few more seconds of glaring, Mabel dropped her gaze, admitting defeat. 

"That's what I thought," Pacifica smirked. "Come on, let's go."

Making their way through the cafeteria, Mabel watched silently as Pacifica dropped the note onto Grenda's tray without her noticing. She could already feel the regret bubbling inside of her, but she squashed it down - there was nothing she could've done.  When they arrived at their table, Mable realized that in her rush to get to the cafeteria, she'd forgotten her water. 

Slipping quietly away from the table, she pulled a crumpled dollar out of her pocket and headed towards the vending machines. 

"Has anyone ever told you you're impressively selfish?"

Mabel stopped walking. She didn't recognize the voice that had just spoken, which was odd, because she knew everyone in her school. She turned around, looking for who had spoken, but everybody seemed involved in their own conversations -  _ wait. Who was that?  _

She swiveled back to where she'd seen the stranger. He was lounging at an empty table, his hands behind his head, legs outstretched. He had a shock of bright white hair swooping up over his forehead, a sharp contrast to his black trench coat. He was the sort of attractive that made you think of danger, and Mabel kind of liked it.

The boy grinned as Mabel stared at him. "Well," he repeated, "has anyone told you that?" He laughed at Mabel's confusion. "You've left your real friends behind for popularity, right? To fit in with this grand, social pattern of high school," he said, mockingly. "But that's not all, is it? You're so desperate to fit in that you'll do anything for those jerks," he said gesturing to the Pacificas. "God, it's pathetic. What a selfish thing to do, and for what? A little time in the spotlight?"

Mabel frowned.  _ So he's nice looking -okay,  _ she amended _ ,  _ really _ nice looking - but clearly, he's a jerk,  _ Mabel thought. Bitterly, she decided that it was time for her to go. She didn't have to listen to him - whoever he was. 

As she whipped around to leave, she bumped into someone. "Oh, sorry," she mumbled, but they'd already brushed past her. Mabel shoved the crumpled dollar back into her pocket as she sped towards her lunch table. 

Mabel paused suddenly. She'd thought she heard the mocking laughter of Nate and Lee, but didn't know where it had come from. Looking over at her old table, she was grateful to see that Candy and Grenda weren't the ones being harassed - but if not them, and not her, then who? 

She turned around and saw the two football players standing by the white-haired stranger. Mabel realized that the person she'd bumped into had been Nate, and Lee must must have been right behind him. The jocks looked like they were arguing with the boy, and she saw Lee push the boy's shoulders. Mabel headed towards them, and as she drew closer, she could hear what they were saying. 

"Nate, doesn't this cafeteria have a no fag policy?" Lee taunted.

Nate laughed, and Mabel couldn't help but roll her eyes. Nate and Lee had never grown out of their "gay is an insult" phase; just another reason Mabel detested them. 

The boy just shook his head, a smirk playing on the edges of his lips. "Well, they seem to have an open door policy for assholes." 

The two footballs players stopped laughing, their mocking smiles disappearing. "What'd you say to me?" Lee snarled, his hands curling into fists. 

Mabel sped up, weaving between the crowded tables. She could see Lee's body tighten, his arm itching to launch into a punch. Even though she could feel the fight brewing, the boy didn't appear nervous; he was no longer smiling, but there was still a trace of an arrogant grin on his face. 

"I'll repeat myself," the boy said darkly, his eyes flashing. 

Before Mabel knew what had happened, the stranger had stood and punched Lee, who was now clutching his face, rage rolling off of him in almost tangible waves.

Mabel stood still, waiting to see what would happen next. The whole cafeteria seemed to have noticed the fight by now, and it felt as though the entire room was waiting with bated breath. 

"Oh, you're dead, you little  _ shit _ !" Lee growled.

Mabel couldn't see everything that happened next as more people stood up to watch, but she could hear it. She winced as she heard the crunch of bones and the dull thud of flesh on flesh. Any second, it would be over - there were plenty of fights at Gravity Falls High School, and no one ever managed to fight long against Lee and Nate.

But this boy was different. 

The minutes stretched on, first five, then eight, going on ten minutes of fighting. No one was a clear winner yet, from what Mabel could tell. She tried to find a new vantage point to see what was happening, but it was nearly impossible. 

_ What am I even doing? I shouldn't watch this crap, that's not who I am,  _ Mabel berated herself. 

Suddenly, a few kids in front of Mabel shifted, and she could see what was happening. All three boys were bloody, covered with sweat from brawling. Nate had blood dripping from his nose and Lee had a long scrape on his face. The stranger was still throwing punches, dropping low to avoid being hit himself.

_ He looks good _ , Mabel thought.  _ God, even though his hair is a mess and there's blood dripping from his mouth, he looks good. _

Suddenly, a loud voice echoed through the cafeteria. "Break it up folks! I said break it up! All three of you, come to the office with me.  _ Now." _ It was the principle. He grabbed Nate's shoulder and pulled him to his feet. He turned to the rest of the students and glared, saying everything he needed to. 

As the crowd of teenagers slowly migrated back to their tables, Mabel still found herself thinking about how the stranger had looked while he was fighting. He'd been strong, fierce, almost godly in his persistence, not to mention how he'd managed to stay attractive while he fought.

Mabel shook her head - what was she thinking? She shouldn't want this kid; she didn't even know him, and he'd been a jerk to her!

Even as she thought of all the reasons why she shouldn't want him, she did. His fighting had been impressive, and Mabel could use someone to protect her. 

_ Hey _ , Mabel thought, trying to project her thoughts to the boy as he was led out of the cafeteria.  _ Would you fight for me - protect me? Would you hold my hand and lead me through this no man's land? It's fine,  _ Mabel added _ , if you say no. _

As the door swung shut behind the three boys, Mabel stared after them. She could still see the stranger fighting, power etched onto his features as he twisted and punched, graceful as a dancer. Mabel sighed, imagining the boy by her side, protecting her, saving her from her enemies. As she sat down at her table, she rested her head on her hand and closed her eyes, the fight replaying on the back of her eyelids.

_ I would fight for you, if you would fight for me. _

 


End file.
